# What are AI agents?

> An AI agent is an AI system that plans steps and uses tools to reach a goal, not just answer once. Here's how agents work and where they're useful.

Learn · Glossary

An AI agent is an AI system that works toward a goal in steps: it plans, uses tools (search, code, other software), checks the results and decides what to do next, instead of answering once.

- Page: https://sparkmentis.ai/learn/ai-agents

## The loop

- **Plan.** Break the goal into steps.
- **Act.** Call a tool: search, run code, read a file.
- **Observe.** Read what came back.
- **Repeat.** Until the goal is met or it needs a person.

## Where to be careful

Agents can take actions, so they need limits: which tools they may use, what needs a person's approval, and a record of what they did.

## Questions

**Are chatbots agents?**

Not usually. A chatbot answers; an agent acts in steps with tools.

**Can I learn to build agents?**

Yes, in SparkLab's Advanced AI: RAG & Agentic Systems.

## Related

- [Generative AI course](https://sparkmentis.ai/features/generative-ai-course.md): SparkLab
- [What is RAG?](https://sparkmentis.ai/learn/retrieval-augmented-generation.md): Glossary

## Book a demo

Email info@sparkmentis.ai (subject "SparkMentis demo request") with your organization, your role and the products you're interested in.